Iota

Iota is the ninth letter of the Greek alphabet, represented by the uppercase Ι and the lowercase ι. In classical and modern Greek it denotes a close front unrounded vowel, typically pronounced as a simple [i]. The letter has a numeric value of 10 in the system of Greek numerals. Its name and form derive from the Phoenician yodh, and in English and many other languages the word “iota” is used metaphorically to mean a very small amount, as in the phrase not one iota.

In mathematics and science, iota is sometimes used as a symbol or variable, though it is less common than other letters such as i or x. The term has also entered everyday language as a reference to something tiny or insignificant, reinforcing its cultural immediacy beyond linguistic use.

IOTA refers to a cryptocurrency and distributed ledger project launched in the 2010s by the IOTA Foundation and a broader development community. The protocol is built on a directed acyclic graph called the Tangle, where transactions validate past transactions rather than relying on a traditional blockchain. This structure aims to provide feeless microtransactions, scalable throughput, and strong suitability for Internet of Things applications, including data marketplaces and machine-to-machine payments. The native token is IOTA, frequently referred to by its unit MIOTA, which powers transactions and network security.

The IOTA Foundation, a non-profit organization, coordinates the ecosystem’s development and governance. The project has undergone major network upgrades, notably Chrysalis in 2021 to improve reliability and usability, and ongoing efforts under the Coordicide initiative to remove centralized components and achieve full decentralization.